Game apparatus.



S. E. CREASEY. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1910.

Patented Sept. 27', 1910.

prrrr sraras earner orator.

SAMUEL E. CREASEY, 0F SANFORD, MAINE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 JOHN V.TUCKER, OF SANFORD, MAINE.

GAME APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. CREASEY, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Sanford, county of York, State of Maine, have inventedan Improvement in Game Apparatus, of which the following (.lescription,in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a game apparatusembodyingvarious novel features, whereby interest and amusement will becombined with a very considerable amount of judgmentand thought on thepart of the players.

The apparatus is designed for playing a hurdle racing game by means of aplurality of movable objects preferably simulating a horse. and rider,the movement of the objects on the race-track being determined bysuitable means, such as dice, the playing surface being laid out in aseries of concentric circular paths each of which is subdivided intosegmental sections.

A common starting and finishing line traverses the circular paths, and Ihave provided removable obstacles which I have designated hurdles, soarranged as to be placed in position across the paths at suitableintervals, and a judges stand is also provided, removably mounted uponthe board upon which the racing track is delineated.

Inasmuch as the pole or innermost position on the track is the mostdesirable position for one of the movable objects, because of theshorter distance to be traversed in completing the circuit of the track,I have made provision whereby under certain conditions a player can movehis object from an outer path inward, toward the pole, or outward inorder to pass by the movable object of an opponen i The various novelfeatures of my invention will be fully described in the subjoinedspecification and particularly pointed out in the following claims,

Figure 1 represents in plan-the board of the game apparatus embodying myinvention, two of the hurdles being shown in'position; Fig. 2 is aperspective view of one of the removable hurdles; Fig. 3 is a like viewof the judges stand; Fig. i is a side Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 30, 1910.

Patented Sept. 2'2, 191d.

Serial No. 558,637.

elevation of one of the movable objects such as I propose to use in thegame; Fig. 5 is a side view of a tally-peg, to be referred to. 7

Referring to Fig. l, A represents a rec tangular board or base, whichconveniently may be made in hinged sections to fold along the divisionline a, as is common in game apparatus of this general type, and hereinI have shown the playing surface of the board as laid out in fourconcentric and adjacent circular paths B, C, D and E, constituting acircular race-track. These several paths are continuous, or closed, asshown, and each one is sub-divided into segmental sections 6, 0, (Z, 6.Herein the innermost path B has 16 sub-divisions or sections, while pathC has 20, path D 24, and the outer path E has 28 sections, and inasmuchas the advance of an object along one of the paths is for a. distance ofone, two or more sections it will be apparent that the choice positionfor a players object is at. the pole, or the innermost and shortest path13.

The starting line or wire which is also the finish line, is delineatedby the radial double-line f which crosses all of the paths and is soarranged as to form a part of or coincide with the dividing line betweentwo adjacent sections of each path, and at one end of the line f theboard A is provided with apertures 2, to receive pins or lugs 3, Fig. 3,projecting from the bottom of the representation of the judges stand F.

hen playing the game the stand is set up to occupy the dotted lineposition indicated in Fig. l at the inner end of the starting line Aremovable hurdle is shown in Fig. 2, comprising a straight bar H of woodor other suitable material, having depending pins 4: to enter apertures5, 5, made in the board A and so located that the hurdle will bepositioned in a radial direction to the seve'al paths of the track andcrossing all of such paths.

In Fig. l I have shown two hurdles in position, and the third is omittedto show the apertures 5 said hurdles when in place being arranged tocoincide with division lines between adjacent sections of the severalpaths, and in the present instance the several hurdles and the startingline f are apart, though this particular arrangestance that one betweenthe last hurdle -H,

objects will stand upright upon the board .successive cross-overs arereversely arranged dials being used by the several players to meat maybe Varied and the number of hurdles may be changed without departingfrom the scope of myinvention.

By making the judges stand and hurdles tosimulatecorrespondingaccessories of an actual race-track the attractiveness. ofthe gameapparatus is enhanced, and their detachability enables the gameboard to be put up readily and conveniently when not in use.

The movable objects, one for each player, are preferably made as smallhorses each having a rider, as shown at G, Fig. 4., and mounted upon afiat base g so that the said A during the progress of the game.

Inorder to provide for the movement of an object from, one to anotherpath of the race-track during the progress of the game I have arrangedcertainv of the sub-divisions or sections of the paths to form what Iterm cross-overs. A cross-over is formed by an overlapping series ofsections, one in each path, in practice indicated by a different coloron the board A and in Fig. 1 such sections are shaded, as at b", c", d",and e". I have shown a cross-over between each two hurdles, and betweenthe starting line f and. the first and last hurdle, respectively, but

so that a playing object in itsforward movement can, by one cross-over,be moved from an outer to an inner path and by-the next succeedingcross-over such object can if desired be moved from an inner to an outerpath. This willbe made clear from Fig. 1 if it be understood that theforward movement of the playing objects is from the starting line in thedirection of arrow 100.

Referring to the first cross-over it will be seen that section 0* is setahead of section b", d" is set ahead of c", and e is set ahead of 01*,so that an objectv traversing path B can by a diagonal move from b? to0". occupy path C, or by additional moves it can occupy either of pathsD or E, the cross-over thus enabling the playing object to be movedoutward from one to another path. Conversely, the moves of the objectmay be inward on a reversely arranged crossover, as for inand' thefinish line f, for an object traversing path .E can be moved inward toanyone of the inner paths D, C or B as may be determined by the numberof spaces or sections the player is entitled to move his object G aheadEach corner of the board A has a dial delineated thereon, as at M, M, MM each dial having a central aperture 10 and four equi-distant apertures12, each preferably indicated by the numerals from 1 to 4, said indicatethe number of laps of the track which have been traversed by his playingobject, a tally-pin or peg m, Fig. 5, being inserted in the appropriateaperture of the players dial.

The game is played with the apparatus I thus described, and the progressof the object completed the first lap, and in No. 4: aperture when fourlaps have been completed, the first one to complete the four lapswinning the game. Until the first lap is'completed the player keeps histally-peg in the central aperture 10 of his dial.

' The apparatus being set up in readiness the several players throwtheir dice for choice of position at the start, the highest total ofspots on the two dice thrown by any of the players entitles him to thepole, and his movable, object G will be placed on the inner path B inthe section b thereotadjacent the starting line The next highest throwtakes the path G, and in a similar manner the other two players takepaths D j and E.

To start the race the player having the pole horse makes the first-throwof the dice, the players at the right following in succession.

The spots on either of the two dice determine the number of sections orspaces which may be traversed by the object G of that player. If aplayer throws double he 1s entitled to another throw.

The player can move his playing object G to jump a hurdle when thenumber of spots turned up by either of the two d ce Wlll advance theobject to a space or section beyond and immediately adjacent the hurdle.For example, if the player having the pole throws a five he can move theobject Gr, Fig. 1, to the section of path B'directly beyond the firsthurdle, retaining the pole. Should the player throw a six he can stilljump the hurdle by moving the object G forward two spaces or sections onpath B, to the section b of the first cross-over, then enter path C thesection 0* and advance three spaces along such path C, just clearing thehurdle, but by so doing he loses the pole, as the object G has crossedover to the path C.

A player having the outer path may come in to the pole by using areversed cross-over.

For example, suppose the object Gr is lo-' cated in path E and theplayer throws a six,

vipa

then he can move said object G from the outer to the inner path alongthe four shaded sections denoting the cross-over, and ahead two spacesin path B, which will just clear the second hurdle and at the same timeplace the object Gr at the pole.

\Vhen two or more playing objects occupy the same path the rear object,or objects, cannot proceed and pass the first object unless in aposition to utilize a crossover in an inward or outward direction, andadvantageous to the player whose object is in the rear. For example, theobjects G and G Fig. 1, are on the same path C, and the latter objectcannot pass the object G and proceed along path C, but the player ofobject G, if he throws a four can utilize the adjacent cross-over andprogress to the section or space in path D immediately in front of thethird hurdle.

If the player throws a five or a six he can jump the third hurdle andplace'his object G in path D or E, accordingly, but by so doing he loseshis better position nearer the pole and must take his chances of gettingback again by a subsequent throw.

Instead of utilizing his throw the player of the object G can refuse toadvance, preferring to keep his position nearer the pole, but he mustwait until the object G has advanced.

In Fig. 1 the first shaded portion or crossover shows that the objectmay turn out and yet progress, and the second cross over shows the modeof turning in while progressing.

According to the rules of the game no player is permitted to move hisobject backward.

hen one of the objects has made a complete circuit of the track,crossing the line f, the player thereof pegs No. 10f his dial, and so onfor each succeeding lap, until the four numbers have been pegged,finishing the race, the player who pegs out first winning the game.

To win on the last lap the throw of the player inust be exactly thenumber of sections or spaces between the object.and the finish line f.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that while the movesare indicated by the throw of the dice the player has every opportunityto display much thought and judgment as to the best course to bepursued, whether to progress more at the cost of getting away from thepole or to retain' the bet ter position with less forward progress, thechoice afforded by the spots on the two .dice thrown giving much widerrange for the display of skill on the part of the player.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent is z- 1. A game apparatus comprising a boardprovided with a plurality of concentric and adjacent circular pathsconstituting a track, each path being divided into a number of sectionsor spaces, a common starting line crossing the several paths, aplurality of hurdles crossing the paths, cross-overs leading from theinner to the outer path, and other cross-overs leading from the outer tothe inner path, each cross-over comprising a distinctive section of eachpath traversed and successive distinctive sections overlapping.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board provided with a plurality ofconcentric and adjacent circular paths constituting a track, each pathbeing divided into segmental sec tions, the number of sections of onepath differing from the number of sections in an adjacent path,cross-overs between the inner and the outer of said paths, comprisingdistinctive and adjacent sections in successive paths, each of suchsections overlapping the corresponding section of the next path, and aplurality of movable objects each having distinguishing means forindicating ownership thereof.

3. A game apparatus comprising aboard provided with a plurality ofconcentric and adjacent circular paths constituting a track, each pathbeing divided into a number f sections or spaces,-a common starting linecrossing the several paths, a plurality of hurdles detachably mounted onthe board and crossing the concentric paths at intervals, andcross-overs from one to another 00 path comprising distinctively coloredsections in adjacent paths and overlapping each other, to indicate thecourse to be taken by moving objects when passing from one to another ofthe paths.

4. A game apparatus comprising aboard provided with a plurality of concentr1c and adjacent circular paths constituting a track each path beingdivided into a numbercf sections or spaces, a common starting line 110crossing the several paths, said board being provided with sets ofapertures located in lines radial to and crossing the paths, detachablehurdles having depending pins to enter such apertures and therebyposition 115 the hurdles, and diagonally-arranged and distinctivelycolored series of spaces in adjacent paths constituting cross-overs toindicate the course to be traversed by moving objects when passing fromone to another of 120 the circular paths.

5. A game apparatus comprising aboard provided with a plurality ofconcentric and adjacentcircular paths constituting a track, each pathbeing divided into a numbenof 125 sections or spaces, a common startingline crossing the several paths, a plurality of detachable hurdlesadapted to be mounted on the board to cross the paths at intervals,

a detachable judges stand adapted to be 130 course to be taken by movingobjects when passing from one to another path.

6. A game apparatus com rising a board provided with a plurality oconcentric and adjacent circular paths constituting a track,

- each path being divided into segmental sections, the number ofsections of one path diitering from the number of sections in anadjacent path, a radial line crossing said paths and constituting thestart and finish of the course of a moving object along the track, aplurality of hurdles crossing the paths at intervals, and cross-overstraversing the paths between the hurdles to indicate the course to betaken by moving objects when passing from one to another path, some ofthe cross-overs leading from the outer path inward and others leadingfrom the inner path outward.

7. A game apparatus comprising a board provided with a plurality ofadjacent and continuous paths constituting a track and divided into anumber of sections, the number of sections in one path difiering fromthe number of sections in an adjacent track, a plurality of hurdlescrossing the track and substantially coinciding with division linesbetween adjacent sections of each path,v and cross-overs comprisingdistinctive sections of adjacent paths, successive sections overlappingand forming a diagonal passage between the outer and inner paths toindicate the course to be traversed by moving objects when passing from.one to another of the paths. 1

8. A gameapparatus comprising a rec tangular board provided with acontinuous track comprising a plurality of adjacent paths each dividedinto a number of sections, a plurality of hurdles crossing the track atintervals, cross-overs between the hurdles and leading from the inner tothe outer path, and from the outer path to the inner one, to indicatethe course to be taken by moving objects when passing from one toanother path of the track, a dial on the board, at each corner thereof,each dial having a central aperture and a series of circularly arrangedapertures, a counting peg adapted to be inserted in any of suchapertures, and a plurality of movable objects to traverse the paths ofthe track and each h: ving means to distinguish it from its fellows.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT W. HUNT, JOHN V. TUCKER.

